Daunt, Ivan Decourcy (Oral history)

British private served with 4th Bn Royal West Kent Regt in GB, France and Belgium, North Africa, India and Burma, 1939-1945

REEL 1 Background in Chatham and Rochester, GB, 1918-1939: origins of name; family circumstances; education; employment in building industry; lack of effects of depression, 1930s; social activities; story of family's move to Starkey Castle near Borstal, 1934-1935; amusing story of the haunting of Starkey Castle. REEL 2 Continues: story of brother's desertion from Royal Engineers; story of meeting wife in Borstal; his brother Bill's activities. Recollections of enlistment and training with Royal West Kent Regimental Depot in Maidstone, GB, 1939: receiving call-up for militia training, 7/1939; amusing story of interview for militia; reception at depot in Maidstone; pattern of training; militiaman who had financial problems; accommodation and how it changed after, 3/9/1939; drilling; relations between NCOs and militiamen. REEL 3 Continues: adjusting to army life; issue of uniforms; issue of rifle and technique for firing it; musing story of exercising with respirators; bayonet practise; training with grenades; opinion of Boyes anti-tank rifle; gas training; guard duties; contact with civilians in Maidstone. REEL 4 Continues: memories of outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; changes in militiaman status after 3/9/1939. Aspects of period with Pioneer Platoon, 4th Bn Royal West Kent Regiment in GB, 1939-1940: joining unit at Axminster, 10/1939; loss of troops during scheme; relations between territorials and militiamen; memories of officers and NCOs; memories of Danny Rickwood; role of pioneer platoon; daily routine at Axminster; route marches and physical fitness; story of marriage, 11/11/1940; preparations for move to France, late 1939; question of not being able to drive. REEL 5 Continues: attempt of Peter Horton to avoid move to France; departure from Axminster. Various aspects of period with 4th Bn Royal West Kents in France, 1940: train journey from Cherbourg; billeting in farmhouse; relations between troops and French civilians. Recollections of operations with 4th Bn Royal West Kent Regiment in Belgian and France, 5/1940: memories of first day of operations; reception from Belgian civilians; order to withdrawal from Oudenaarde; German Air Force Junkers Ju87 Stuka attacks at Oudanaarde; sight of Germans whilst guarding level crossing; decision of his section to pull out after unit had withdrawn; narrow escape from Germans in farmhouse; rejoining unit; issue of every man for himself order; character of journey to Dunkirk; foraging for food in Dunkirk; accommodation in Dunkirk. REEL 6 Continues: situation in Dunkirk; character of evacuation; lack of RAF presence over beaches; move onto Mole; embarking on board ship carrying petrol; throwing weapons and equipment overboard; German Air Force attack on ship; arrival at Dover and move to Folkstone; reception in GB. Recollections of period with 4th Bn Royal West Kent Regiment in GB, 1940-1942: move to Winterborne Gunner; treatment by civilians in Salisbury; orders not to speak to civilians and cadets; contacting home; move to Oxford, Hall Green and Gainsborough; reforming of unit; airfield guard duties at Gainsborough; state of preparedness in GB, 1940; loss of hair at Gainsborough. REEL 7 Continues: method of obtaining beer money at Gainsborough; accommodation in stables; amusing story of comrade mistaking toilet; role of pioneer platoon; camouflaging steel helmets; move to New Romney; training with commandos at New Romney; collapse of blockhouse; on firing range at Lydd; growth in regimental pride; sight of aircraft flying out to intercept German battleships at Deal, 3/1942; effect of saying goodbye to wife; embarking with advanced party aboard Larconia at Liverpool, 1942; exploring docks. Voyage from GB to Egypt via South Africa aboard Larconia, 1942: units travelling on ship; memories of officer Tom Coath; amusing story of explaining his background to officer; boxing tournament. REEL 8 Continues: behaviour of Peter Horton; arrival in Freetown; engine trouble with ship; arrival in Cape Town, South Africa, 6/1942; march in full battle order around Cape Town; arrival in Egypt; memories of George Formby's brother a cook on ship; fate of Larconia; fear of torpedoing of ship. Recollections of operations with Headquarters Coy, 4th Bn Royal West Kent Regiment in Egypt, 1942: reaction to arrival in Egypt; problem with flies; break-up of pioneer platoon; move into front-line, 8/1942; preparations to use sticky bombs on German tanks; positions on Ruweisat Ridge; initial attack across open ground; reaction to first action; failure to reach Axis positions; casualties in attack; Italian collection of dead. REEL 9 Continues: German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attack; accuracy of German mortar-fire; withdrawal into reserve on ridge; unit patrolling; sight of El Alamein barrage; advance from El Alamein to Derna; contact with Axis POWs; character of advance after El Alamein; rations in desert; withdrawal to Canal Zone, 12/1945; arrival of new drafts; reception of new officer in unit; change in character of battalion. Aspects of period with 4th Bn Royal West Kent Regiment in Middle East, 1943: move to Iraq, early 1943; question of lack of preparation for desert warfare; changing attitude to military service after El Alamein; pattern of training and morale of unit; embarkation aboard Empire Trooper at Basra. Recollections of period with 4th Royal West Kent Regiment in India, 1943: initial impressions of Bombay. REEL 10 Continues: building bridge over watercourse; fate of bridge in monsoon; incident of being bitten by scorpion; character of jungle training; training with mules; loading mules; casualties amongst mules; amusing story of contact with Indian Army muleteers; amount of pioneer equipment carried; water and food rations; amusing story of contact with staff officer umpire during exercise; character of jungle; method of making punji sticks; problems with canvas jungle shoes; removal of leeches; snake hunting; incident of finding snake in Bren-gun pouch. REEL 11 Continues: memories of collecting snake for 'Elephant Bill'; method of catching snakes; precautions taken against malaria; contacting malaria; accommodation at Ranchi; contact with Indian civilians; story of comrade's activities on leave; leave in Calcutta; leaves taken in India; meeting with General Auckinlek; story of having leave pass and money stolen; injury received during encounter with Indian civilians. REEL 12 Continues: preparations for move to Arakan; journey to Chittagong. Recollections of operations with 4th Bn Royal Kent Regiment in Arakan, Burma, 1943-1944: march towards front-line; accidental shelling of unit near The Tunnels; character of advance towards The Tunnels; injury sustained by barbed wire; reaction to promotion to lance-corporal; opinion of Japanese; behaviour of wounded Japanese POW; Japanese nightime attacks; use of slit trenches; fate of Japanese officer who sneaked up on trench; soldier who received compassionate leave for wife's infidelity; memories of Lance Corporal John Harman; attitude towards Harman's actions. REEL 13 Continues: nature of US K-rations; terrain around The Tunnels; story of post-war meeting with sister soldier shot by Japanese sniper; character of frontal attacks against Japanese positions; Japanese defensive positions; embarkation aboard aircraft in Arakan; character of flight from Arakan to Dimapur. Recollections of operations with 4th Bn Royal West Kent Regiment at Kohima, India, 1944: entertainment at Dimapur including George Formby; listening patrols; abortive journey to Kohima; character of road journey between Dimapur and Kohima. REEL 14 Continues: disembarking from lorries under Japanese shell-fire; taking cover in ditch; retrieving equipment from lorries; move onto hillside; construction of trench; position above the tennis court; problems with rations and ammunition; size of companies; features at Kohima; attempt to find blankets and ammunition on road; Japanese use of horses to screen attack; fate of mortar section; method of moving between positions; psychological pressures during seige; moving wounded from first aid post onto road; condition of wounded; role of Lance Corporal John Harman in winning Victoria Cross at Kohima 3/1944; Japanese attempts to infiltrate unit positions; air supply; distinguishing between different parachutes used; retrieval of supplies. REEL 15 Continues: Japanese attacks; awareness of approach of 2nd Div; question of Japanese taking positions; fortification of his trench; proximity of Japanese troops; Japanese mortaring of withdrawal; advice given to relieving troops; physical condition after siege; reaction to being pulled out to Dimapur. Recollections of operations with 4th Bn Royal Kent Regiment in India and Burma, 1944-1945: state of Japanese Army on advance south into Burma; condition of Tiddim Road; skirmishes with Japanese; accidental bombing of troops on Tiddim Road; prior recollection of the making of the Kohima cross; pattern of advance towards Pegu. REEL 16 Continues: amusing story of shaving off of sergeant-major's moustache; crossing of River Chindwin and River Irrawaddy; character of terrain in central Burma; opinion of Gurkhas; arrival in Rangoon; reasons for return to GB. Character of return journey to GB, 1945. Meeting with Major Winstanley on return to GB. Demobilisation, 1945. Attitude to having served with 4th Bn Royal West Kent Regiment during Second World War.